Love, Lattes & Lullabies

Boogie Wipes Review and Giveaway!

2012-01-31T16:13:00.004-05:00

About a year ago, when my coworkers threw a baby shower for me, one of the gifts I received was a basket full of baby toiletries. Among those goodies was a pack of Boogie Wipes. I had never heard of them, and I thought, "when the heck am I going to use these?" When we got home, I stuck them in Colin's closet and forgot about them.

Fast forward a few months. Colin got his first cold, and it was not pretty. His poor little nose was crusted over with dried green snot, and he freaked out every time I brought a tissue near him. After a couple days, that cute button nose was super dry and irritated. And that's when I remembered the Boogie Wipes in his closet. I'm pretty sure I heard angels sing the first time I used one on my baby boy. So what the heck are Boogie Wipes, you might ask? They're soft, cushy wipes moistened with gentle saline to soothe your baby's nose. Basically, they're a thousand times better than your average tissue. Yes, even the lotiony ones. They don't dry out your little one's skin, no matter how many times you need to wipe those boogies away. It's amazing how much snot can come out of your sweet child, you know. We've all been there. You're driving along, to daycare or the grocery store, and you hear a big, wet sneeze from the backseat. You glance back and see two giant green strings of snot running down your baby's face, threatening to drip down onto his car seat and clothes. Moments like these are exactly why I keep a pack of Boogie Wipes in the diaper bag at all times.

Incidentally, I may or may not have "borrowed" a few of Colin's Boogie Wipes for myself from time to time. ;) Thank goodness they now make Saline Soothers as well, for "more mature noses."

And now, the fun part. One of YOU will win not one, but TWO packs of Boogie Wipes, for free! If you don't win, and want to buy some for yourself, or if you just want more info, check out their websites: BoogieWipes.com, SalineSoothers.com, and LittleBusyBodies.com. They have large canisters available, too, and teacher packs perfect for the classroom! You can also have your child join the pledge to "save the sleeve" at SaveTheSleeve.com.

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. There are 8 ways to win! Ready, set, go! Giveaway ends Saturday at midnight. [You may need to click "Read More" to see the Rafflecopter widget.]

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The lovely people at Boogie Wipes sent me a free pack of Boogie Wipes and some samples of Saline Soothers to write this review.

Advice to new moms

2012-01-31T09:13:00.001-05:00

To those of my bloggy friends who are expecting their first child, or who are hoping to conceive soon, I really only have one piece of advice. Take things one day at a time. There are about 4325135 things I could tell you I wish I had known before I became a mother, but the truth is, I read the books. I talked to other moms. And I still didn't feel "prepared" until I did it myself. Parenting is one of those things that you just have to do to know how you're going to do it.

When I was pregnant, I had all these ideas about how things would be. According to the plans in my head, I would have a fantastic vaginal birth. I would breastfeed without issue for at least six months. I would never bedshare with my baby. I would limit his TV time and read books to him constantly.

Well, then I became a mother, and it was amazing how many of my plans changed in an instant. After going into labor on my own, I had a long labor followed by a c-section. I had tons of issues breastfeeding and ended up switching Colin to formula at around 4 weeks of age. Exhausted and desperate, I brought him into bed with me sometimes when nothing else worked. And, let's face it - the hubs and I can both recite every word to the theme songs of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Special Agent Oso and Jungle Junction.

Colin @ 10 months and Mommy

The point is, you have to do what's best for you and your baby. You have to take things one day at a time and expect the unexpected. And most importantly, you have to learn to be flexible. As soon as you accept that there will be a LOT of things beyond your control, you'll be a better parent. That's how it was for me, anyway. I was SO unsure about being a new mom, and how to know exactly what this fragile little creature wanted and needed from me, but once I had a chance to care for him and be his mommy, I learned the ins and outs of my baby. I got to know all of his little quirks, and after a while, we got into a nice rhythm. If you're unsure right now, don't worry. Things will fall into place. If you're not unsure yet, you probably haven't given birth. Just a heads up: you WILL experience the uncertainty that we all have in the beginning. You WILL have moments of fear, exhaustion, and you will wonder "am I doing this right?" Those thoughts are natural, and they simply mean that you are a good mother and that you want what's best for your child.

The bottom line: you can do it.

Sick day

2012-01-30T09:23:00.001-05:00

Today I'm staying home with my sweet boy because he's sick.

Just look at this face.

Don't go to work Mama, I need you today.

Last night was a good reminder that I'm not ready for more little ones just yet. It's pretty rough when you finally have a baby who sleeps through the night, and then he gets sick and suddenly you're both up every hour again. At one point, his temp got all the way up to 103.7. Justin called the pediatrician's on-call nurse, and she said it wasn't an emergency situation unless it reached 105. Still, though. This is the highest my little boy's temp has ever been, so I was nervous. We stripped him down to his diaper and I held him, giving him Tylenol and cool water to drink when he'd let me.

This morning, I brought him into bed with me and he slept while I dozed in and out for about two hours. Then he cried through breakfast until I turned on Oso (that silly bear is just so awesome) and I took his temp again; it was 102.1. Because he was tugging on his ears some this weekend, I'm taking him to see Dr. G. later this morning to see if this could be another ear infection.

Gosh, I hate seeing my baby boy like this. Here's hoping he gets better quick. I'll update after we see the pediatrician.

***********

UPDATE: We saw Dr. G. and she said that his throat is red and irritated, with post-nasal drip, and one ear looks like it's just about to be infected. She had the nurse swab his nose and throat and they ran tests for the flu and strep while we were there. Both were negative. His lungs and heart sounded great, and the one ear was perfect. She went ahead and put him on antibiotics to clear up the ear that looked gunky, and said this could also be a delayed reaction to the MMR shot he had on Tuesday. We're supposed to watch for a pink rash, and if the fever stays above 101 for more than 3 days, we need to call back for further instructions.

Poor baby has been so sleepy today and has taken about 3 cat naps. His appetite isn't great, either, but he ate some goldfish crackers with his first dose of Omnicef.

And now I hear him fussing on the monitor- gotta run!

Project 52: Week 4 - "Imperfection"

2012-01-28T07:33:00.000-05:00

This photo isn't perfect because it was taken with my cell phone, but the moment was perfect. There's nothing like a good snuggle with your ~~toddler~~ baby on a Saturday morning when you're the only two people in the house awake. ♥ Sometimes I feel so much love for him, I think my heart might explode. This whole mom thing is pretty great.

Colin's 1 year stats

2012-01-25T09:15:00.000-05:00

This just in: my baby is huge. Yeah, I know, that isn't breaking news. If you know Colin at all, you know that someone must be slipping Miracle Gro into his milk every day. Where did this kid come from?! If I didn't have the stretch marks to prove it, I'd question whether he actually belonged to me.

Little man's 12 month well-visit was yesterday, and it went went well. First the nurse weighed and measured him. The official stats? 26 lbs 8 oz (91st percentile for weight) and 32 1/4 inches tall (98th percentile for height). Like I said, my kid is huge.

Then, Dr. G. {who we love} checked Colin out from head to toe. She declared him perfect, asked a few developmental questions, and oohed and aahed at the new teeth he's going to be sporting soon.

Colin loves his teething biscuits!

I asked how much whole cow's milk he should be drinking now that he is completely off of formula. The boy would drink milk every minute of the day if I let him. Dr. G. said that 16-24 oz was what we should aim for. Ooops... he gets closer to 30 oz in a day right now. Last night I tried offering water with his dinner, and he drank several ounces of that. So I don't think that transition will be too hard.

My other question was about sippy cups. Colin will drink water or juice out of a sippy, but he still prefers bottles for milk. She said we shouldn't worry until he's 15 months, but to try our best to get him to take milk from a sippy now. I guess we'll keep working on that. It's hard to be consistent when he spends 50 hours a week at daycare (ugh), but he will be moving to the toddler room on Monday (omg!) and they are great with this transitional period, I'm told.

So, after the doctor's exam, the dreaded nurse came in. The one who always comes bearing needles. Even though she's a sweetheart, I think Colin sensed what was coming, because he started fussing right away. Poor kid. He got 4 vaccines yesterday, 2 in each chunky thigh. He hasn't developed any side effects from them, although I think his poor legs are achy. Watching him get his shots was just awful. He held his breath for so long before finally letting out a cry that I had to blow in his face to get him to breathe. Gosh, I think those shots are just as hard on the parents as they are on the babies.

As a sidenote on the vaccines - I know 4 is a lot, but I've asked the pediatrician about alternative schedules and researched vaccines, and after all that I came to the conclusion that they would do more good than harm. He has been on the recommended vaccine schedule since birth. Dr. G. once told me that she wouldn't recommend anything potentially dangerous for my baby, or that she wouldn't do for her own children. I trust her opinion, and while I hate vaccines, I feel fine about giving them to my son. Just my two cents on that front. Not that there is anything wrong with the "crunchy" mommas out there with differing opinions. You do what you feel is best for your baby, and I'll do what's best for mine. But, I digress.

This morning, my snugglebug was a little fussy, but fine otherwise. Here's hoping he isn't miserable at daycare today. He's also teething, so that's always fun too. Even when he's fussy, though, he is still just the cutest thing. I may be a tad biased, but look at that face. What a sweet pea! Oh, I could just kiss this face all day long. :)

More to come.

Questions & Answers

2012-01-24T16:54:00.001-05:00

Recently I asked you, dear readers, if you had any questions for me. I feel like Colin is more interesting than me, so this blog has become pretty baby-centric since he was born. I wanted to give you the opportunity to know more about me. That is, if you wanted to. :) I got several fun responses. So without further ado, your questions - answered!

Jennifer asked, "do you ever miss living in the Midwest? I know you have family still living there but is there anything else you miss?"

Well, my younger brother recently moved in with us, and it's been really awesome to have him around. I do miss my parents, sister, and my extended family that still live in Michigan, though. I also really miss the snow every Christmas. I'm all about a white Christmas! Otherwise, though, I love living in South Carolina. The weather here right now is amazing, and the pace of the South is a little more laid back. I feel like I fit in here pretty well.

Nancy asked, "Do you plan to have anymore children and what's your favorite international dish??"

We definitely want one or two more. As far as my favorite international dish, that's a toughie. I love me some Chinese food, especially General Tso Chicken (extra spicy, please), and I also have a soft spot for Italian food. Carrabba's Chicken Bryan is pretty high up on my list of favorite dishes.

Amanda asked, "Thinking of baby #2 yet? If you had a girl what would her name be? What's your favorite thing to do for "mommy time."

While we do want more kids, I don't think we're ready just yet. Now that Colin is magically turning into a big boy before my very eyes, I have my moments of missing my tiny newborn. However, it's still pretty exhausting to have a full time job outside the home and be a mommy. I think we'll wait just a little bit longer.

If I had a baby girl today, her name would be Claire Elizabeth. Claire is our top choice for a girl's name, and my sister's middle name is Elizabeth. We may change our minds, but for now, that's the favorite.

I'll be honest, I haven't had a whole lot of "mommy time" lately except for when Colin goes to bed. In the evenings, I love to kick back and watch some TV or mess around on Facebook and Blogger. Oh! Justin and I are going on our first "weekend getaway" alone in February, for a friend's beachside wedding. I'm pretty excited about that!

Dan asked, "Katie! It is now the year 2032. Where are you living? Any new additions to the family? What is Colin up to? Has anyone made the jet pack commercially viable?"

Dan, I miss you. (We used to work together.) What a great question!

In 2032, I'll be 47 years old. Whoa. You mean I'm not going to be 26 forever? Okay, let's see. I imagine Justin and I will still be living in South Carolina, but maybe we will have moved closer to the coast. Colin will be 21, and he'll be attending a University, maybe USC (mommy's alma mater), maybe not. He will have had his choice of academic AND athletic scholarships, and he'll be playing football but still have a respectable major. Maybe political science or something, because he'll be really smart and have a good head on his shoulders. He'll have two younger siblings (yep, I went there), a girl and another boy. They will both be in high school, and they'll both be really good kids. I'll still be working, I'm sure, but I'll be very involved in my childrens' activities.

Oh, and yes. Everyone will be flying jet packs around everywhere. They'll all run on solar energy, too. Because, you know- everyone will have "gone green" by then. :)

Thanks for playing, guys and gals! Let's do this again sometime.

Ask me anything!

2012-01-23T09:48:00.002-05:00

Is there anything you've ever wanted to know about me, dear readers? Well, if so, now is the time to ask! If you're new here, welcome! Here are a few facts about me:

I'm 26 years old, and I've been married to my wonderful husband for 6 and a half years. Yes, I was 19 when we tied the knot.
I have a son named Colin who just turned a year old on the 17th.
I have an English degree, but work in the technology field.
I grew up in Michigan, but currently reside in a small town in South Carolina.

I'm going to do a Q&A blog post soon, so get your questions in now! I'm an open book and will answer any questions you have about pregnancy, motherhood, marriage, blogging, my everyday life, and anything else you can think of. Either leave a comment here or e-mail me at sbuxsweetie at gmail dot com. I look forward to seeing what you'd like to know!

Everything I know about life I learned from my one year old son

2012-01-22T15:29:00.001-05:00

The only TV channel you really need is Disney Jr.
A good, long nap might just be the key to happiness.
Teething is the devil.
It's really fun to read a book or sing a song 4 times in a row.
Sometimes food tastes better if you steal it from someone else's plate.
Bookshelves can make for great toy storage.
Pooping your pants is no big deal.
When watching your favorite show, it's best to get as close to the TV as possible.
Bananas are God's gift to mankind. They trump all other foods. Except maybe puffs.
Dancing and laughter should be a part of everyday life.
Sometimes it's okay to randomly burst into tears.
Every now and then, we all just need our mommies.

Do I have something on my face?

Project 52 Week 3 - Inspiration

2012-01-21T08:41:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday Colin!

2012-01-17T12:07:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it feels like just yesterday I was writing out Colin's birth story. Today, my sweet baby is one year old. Oh, how the time flies.

First ultrasound @ 12 weeks

36 weeks pregnant

In labor

Going with Daddy to be weighed, measured and cleaned

Colin Justin Vaughan- 7 lbs, 8 oz and 20 inches

Meeting my son for the first time

1 month old

2 months old

3 months old

4 months old

5 months old

6 months old

7 months old

8 months old

9 months old

10 months old

11 months old

Celebrating Colin's 1st Birthday!

I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always;

as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be.

It's Colin's party, he'll cry if he wants to

2012-01-15T08:40:00.000-05:00

Colin will be 1 year old on Tuesday. My baby is almost not a baby anymore. But I'm not ready to talk about that yet, haha. I'm still in denial. He isn't walking yet, although he has taken one step on his own, so I'm not willing to use the "t" word just yet (cough toddler cough).

Anyway, my baby's birthday party was yesterday. It went well, except that he was tired throughout most of it, due to the fact that he didn't get a great nap that morning. He was so not cool with the cake smash. He stared at his dirty hand in horror and cried for me to pick him up. Oh well, he was still cute and it will make for a good story when he's older. Here are some pictures of Colin's special day. Thanks to our sweet friends and family for coming to celebrate with us!

Project 52: Week 2 - "Life"

2012-01-13T08:42:00.001-05:00

“Life is not made up of minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, or years, but of moments. You must experience each one before you can appreciate it.”
-Sarah Breathnach

This photo represents every day life in our house. Messy-haired baby, streaky glass covered in fingerprints, boy and dog staring at one another. It's the little moments like these that make me smile.

I heart Rafflecopter

2012-01-09T08:13:00.000-05:00

...and I know many of you do, too! That's why I thought you might be interested to know that Rafflecopter is giving away an iPad 2 and a Kindle Fire! You can enter below. I will definitely be entering this one! Hope you're having a great weekend, dear readers. :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Memories Giveaway Winner, and Project 52 Week 1

2012-01-07T08:05:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to Jessica Mendez Dawson! You are the proud owner of your very own free copy of My Memories Suite digital scrapbooking software. I'll be e-mailing you shortly with details. Thanks for entering, everyone! If you've "liked" my Facebook page or become a follower of Love, Lattes & Lullabies just because of this giveaway, I hope you'll decide to stick around!

If you didn't win, and still want to try out My Memories software, I have just what you need! Use code STMMMS40939 on www.mymemories.com to get $10 off your order. How great is that?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Moving right along. :) I was invited by my lovely friend, Kim, at {My} Life's Stories to participate in the Project 52 Weekly Photography Challenge. Well, Kim, I accept! My photos will never live up to yours, but I'm going to give it my best shot {pun intended}.

The theme for Week 1 is "Resolution." For starters, I'm resolving to spend some time on our stationary bike this year, and hopefully get rid of my jiggly mama belly, or at least shrink it a little. Ahem, pardon the dust.

My Memories Suite Review and Giveaway!

2012-01-02T16:14:00.006-05:00

When I was approached by My Memories to do a review and giveaway of their software, I was incredibly flattered and so excited! I've seen My Memories giveaways on other blogs, but I've never had a chance to play around with the software myself. I had a blast creating scrapbook pages using this software. It was incredibly easy and user friendly, and it is extremely customizable. And when you're done creating whatever you like (it's not just for scrapbooking, folks!), you can export your creation and print it yourself, or you can order a custom scrapbook right from the software! It's pretty awesome. Take a look at some of the pages I've been playing around with:

So I bet now you're dying to try the My Memories Suite out yourself, right? Well, GOOD! Because I'm about to give one away! Thanks to the very generous people at My Memories, I am able to give one digital scrapbooking suite away to one of my awesome readers. Just follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Oh, and guess what? There's more! If you don't happen to win a My Memories Suite of your very own, but still want one, you can use coupon code STMMMS40939 to get $10 off your My Memories purchase! How sweet is that?

Giveaway begins NOW! Good luck!

Colin's First Christmas in Pictures

2011-12-26T21:32:00.000-05:00

The last two pictures were taken at Mema and Papa's house (my in-laws). As you can see, Colin was very good this year! Unfortunately, though, he couldn't enjoy it to the fullest because he was sick. We took him to the pediatrician this morning and he was diagnosed with an ear infection and bronchiolitis. He's on an antibiotic and an albuterol inhaler (given through a chamber with a mask) to help clear everything up. Poor kid. He really was a trooper, though. Check out what he did on Christmas day for the very first time!

I hope you've had a wonderful holiday season, dear reader! The best part is, it isn't over yet! My parents, sister, sister's friend and grandma will be here tomorrow afternoon and they'll be staying until New Year's Day. I can't wait to see them, and for them to see how big my Colin has gotten. More to come!

Reindeer Cookies

2011-12-22T10:08:00.000-05:00

Pre-baby, I used to love to bake. I still enjoy it, but now it just seems like such a hassle. It's messy, it requires time and energy, and it's not so easy to do with a fast-paced 11 month old hanging off your leg. I was browsing Pinterest one day and came across this awesome recipe for adorable reindeer cookies. I bought some peanut butter, pretzels (plain, though- couldn't find the chocolate covered ones) and M&Ms since I already had the rest of the ingredients on hand. But when it was time to actually make the cookies, suddenly the recipe seemed too complicated. I did a quick google search and came across this recipe. I did a little improvising, though, and used half brown sugar and half white sugar instead of all white. So, here's the Pinterest version:

and here's how mine turned out:

I took some to the ladies at daycare as an end-of-the-year thank you, sent some with my hubby to take to his work, and brought a plate for my coworkers, too. Everyone said they were both cute and yummy, and one of the daycare workers asked for the recipe. I'd call that a success. Mix together two things I love - Pinterest and peanut butter - and you can't go wrong! Merry Christmas. :)

11 Months

2011-12-18T07:38:00.002-05:00

At 11 months old, Colin...

Weighs about 25.5 lbs and is a little over 31 inches tall
Is a crawling pro and can pull up to standing with ease
Has started "cruising" along the furniture and walls
Has said "mama," "dada," "uh oh," and "gog" (dog), but not consistently
Absolutely loves Special Agent Oso
Still cries sometimes when Mommy drops him off at daycare
Takes two naps each day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon
Sleeps through the night most of the time, but wakes pretty early most mornings
Is starting to transition from formula to whole cow's milk, and doesn't seem to notice
Thinks it's hilarious to race us to the kitchen, and giggles when we pick him up
Gives "kisses" which can sometimes be intense and violent :)
Still just has two teeth, on the bottom
Is starting to love finger foods, but still eats stage 3 baby food too
Still wants a pacifier when he's sleepy or cranky
Makes me fall more in love with his silly self every day!

Oh Snap! Wednesday

2011-12-14T09:09:00.000-05:00

Because of the craziness of the last week, I haven't gotten the "real" camera out at all. So, today's "Oh Snap! Wednesday" photos are brought to you by my handy dandy iPhone.

Colin hanging out in his Christmas jammies

Standing unassisted!

Rockin' out on his little red guitar. Don't mind the crazy hair.

Colin has been big on toys and playtime lately. He loves to play "soccer" by batting a ball around and chasing it around the living room and down the hallway. He also thinks our dog, Ellie, is hilarious and laughs hysterically when I throw treats to her and she catches them in the air. This is such a fun age. And oh my goodness... he will be ONE in less than five weeks. Holy cow!

More to come.

Whirlwind

2011-12-12T15:46:00.000-05:00

My flight landed last night around 7, and with that, my whirlwind of a weekend had come to a close. My darling husband was there to meet me at the airport and to drive me home. I was hoping to see my sweet Colin, too, but he had been napping soundly when Justin left the house, so he asked his parents to come over and keep an eye on him for a little while. Luckily, the airport isn't that far away, so we made it home in pretty good time and I finally got to hold my baby boy in my arms. He smiled so big when he saw me, and it melted my heart.

With my brother and sister before the funeral

Grandpa's funeral was beautiful. Uncle Paul gave a great eulogy, and Dad preached a mini-sermon with one of Grandpa's favorite stories- the tale of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the furnace. He talked about how the Lord is with us wherever we go, no matter how tough our circumstances are. About how God was with Grandpa during the hard times, and how He worked everything together for His good so that just two people could build a close-knit family of 64. Amazing.

I am so thankful that I got to spend time with loved ones, and to be able to get some closure on Grandpa's death. This weekend was more a celebration of life than a funeral, really, and that's the way it should be. While it was great to be there, though, it's also very nice to be home. I'm glad my boys survived the weekend, but they both seemed to miss me very much while I was gone. And of course, I missed them like crazy, too!

And now that I'm home, it's time to shift my focus to Christmas. It's only 13 days away, people! I don't know about you, but I'm ready to celebrate and get into the Christmas spirit.

More to come.

Change of Plans

2011-12-09T08:43:00.000-05:00

In about 20 minutes, my brother-in-law will be picking me up to go to the airport. Yesterday, my plans suddenly changed when I was offered a plane ticket by an extremely generous family friend. Justin and I talked it over, and a little after 10 pm last night my ticket was purchased. I will be off the ground at approximately 11:15 this morning, and will land in Michigan around 3 (after a quick stop in Charlotte). I haven't flown by myself in years, and this is the first time I'm leaving my sweet Colin overnight. I know it isn't going to be the easiest thing in the world - for me, and especially for Justin - but we'll all be ok, and I'm so thankful that I'm getting to go to Grandpa's funeral after all. This will be a short trip; I'll be back in SC by 5:30 pm on Sunday. More to come once I'm home again and settled.